ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2024
AOTY
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2024
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AOTY / 2024 /
AOTY
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2024
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AOTY / 2024 /
BON IVER
SABLE,
There’s something perfect about the ear-piercing hum that opens SABLE,—sonically, it does what the rest of the three-song EP sets out to do lyrically: it disarms and re-centers. At first glance, it feels like a return to the acoustic swoonings of For Emma, Forever Ago. And for those who have missed that side of Justin Vernon, you’ll certainly find it here. But SABLE, is more than just a reflection—this is Vernon’s most honest and compelling writing to date.
Vernon’s voice has always been a focal point, from the iconic falsetto of For Emma to the layered, modulated harmonies of tracks like "Woods" or "33 'GOD'." Yet on SABLE, he uncovers something new. The vocals aren’t exactly raw, but they’re placed so prominently over the mix that it’s impossible not to hang on every word. In an interview with The New Yorker, Vernon said that right now, he’s only interested in the truth, and within these three songs, he finds it. While albums like 22, A Million and i,i explored feelings and atmospheres, SABLE, cuts through to emotion itself—direct, physical, unadorned.
There’s a metaphysical quality to this EP too, as though Vernon has emerged from a spiritual journey only to arrive somewhere extremely physical. As he sings, “I see things behind things behind things. And there are rings within rings within rings,” the lyrics mirror the image of a tree adding layers to its bark. The difficult inner rings—those created through struggle—are still present, but they’re no longer the focus. Now, we can breathe easier, knowing the structural work is done. The tree is still growing, still adding new layers, but the foundation is secure.
In the EP’s closing moments, the instrumentation fades, leaving us with nothing but Vernon’s voice—bare and elemental. Then, almost imperceptibly, a swelling guitar takes its place, as if the music itself exhales. It’s in that final breath that SABLE, finds its transcendence, and we ourselves become breath—dissolving into something larger, connected, endless — rings within rings within rings.
FOXING
FOXING
When I think of Foxing, I think of all-time great opening tracks. With their self-titled fifth album, they keep that streak alive. The record kicks off with the crackle of an analog tape recorder, paired with Conor Murphy’s melodic swoon, before exploding into a wall of sound that takes you right back to the days of The Albatross. This year marks the 10th anniversary of their seminal debut, and last year, Foxing released an anniversary compilation featuring each track covered by emerging artists inspired by the original, including a collaboration with OLD FOLKS favorites Home Is Where. After revisiting The Albatross for the anniversary, it feels like the band has been doing the same.
The new self-titled album has the feel of a band returning to its roots. Even the name feels like a nod to their past, but while Ten Years was about reflection, Foxing looks firmly ahead. With layers of intensity and emotion, it’s clear they’re responding to their audience’s desire for a heavier sound—one that marries the rawness of their early work with a matured, fuller sonic palette. This shift feels intentional, a statement that Foxing is ready to lead a new wave of post-rock, channeling the same energy that made them stand out a decade ago.
RUNNNER
DUST 2
Earlier this year, Noah Weinman dropped Stardust—a collection of ambient recordings, chopped and screwed from his standout 2023 release like dying stars were burning out. Now, Dust 2 arrives as its spiritual and literal successor, capturing live recordings from a series of L.A. shows celebrating the release of its aforementioned predecessor.
Dust 2 takes the familiar, swelling melodies of Stardust—instantly recognizable to those already initiated—and transforms them through live instrumentation and improvisation. The result is a record that feels alive, constantly shifting, hovering between jazz, ambient soundscapes, and the elongated grooves of a band locked into a never-ending outro.
For Run for Cover darlings Runnner, who have already cemented their place in the indie rock canon, this record signals their ambitions toward something more expansive. Where Stardust hinted at new sonic territory, Dust 2 sticks the landing—fully embracing improvisation and live performance, breathing new life into the source material and further establishing Runner’s evolving range.
MJ LENDERMAN
MANNING FIREWORKS
Mark Jacob Lenderman, AKA MJ Lenderman, has threaded a needle. The unanimous take from indie gatekeepers—from Pitchfork to NPR, The New Yorker to r/indieheads—is that the Wednesday guitar standout is the new face of the genre. Yet I first came across his solo work via the TikTok algorithm. Lenderman has swooned the old heads (and maybe the Old Folks?), while feeling right at home in the algorithmic landscape. His trick is that the music is undeniable—drawing from the fuzzed-out country rock of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, the deadpan vocals of indie staples like Pavement and Built to Spill, and the sensibility of contemporary tastemakers like his friend and collaborator Waxahatchee. His lyrics are both detached—shrouded in irony and sarcasm—yet still feel honest and relatable. From song to song, it's often hard to separate lived experience from character study, but maybe the point is that they’re one and the same.
TORO Y MOI
HOLE ERTH
For over a decade, Toro y Moi’s ability to shapeshift has defined his sound, and Hole Erth takes that evolution to its logical end — a genre-bending, emo-trap record. As his discography expands, even as these sonic shifts get more dramatic, they somehow feel less jarring. With Hole Erth, you're invited to trace a thread through his eclectic past, this time rapping and singing alongside the likes of DUCKWRTH, Kenny Mason, and Kevin Abstract. The timing feels almost poetic — dropping the same day as MJ Lenderman’s Manning Fireworks (next up on the old folks' docket), just as the indie world crowns a new torchbearer. But Berkeley’s own Chaz Bear is here to remind us who's been holding the flame.
What really stands out, beyond the features and trap beats, is a lyrical shift — Hole Erth feels like Chaz resurrecting a younger version of himself, full of curiosity, self-reflection, and a bit of mischief. It’s both fresh and familiar, like he’s looking back with a sharper sense of clarity. Oh, and speaking of indie-rock torchbearers? Ben Gibbard makes a cameo, too.
NICOLE MIGLIS
MYOPIA
Two years before André 3000 and his flute took the world by storm, Nicole Miglis, a.k.a. Batry Powr (and former frontwoman of Hundred Waters), made her solo debut with the ambient flute project Un1ty Flute.
I’ve already gushed over Hundred Waters here on the blog when I praised their Towers EP, but I’d be remiss to review a Nicole Miglis project without mentioning that, as a member of Hundred Waters, she produced three perfect albums, including one of the best albums of the century and an undisputed indie-pop classic, 2014’s The Moon Rang Like a Bell.
With Myopia, Miglis returns to that sound for the first time since 2017’s Communicating. The production across Myopia is more sparse and leans less on the haunting minor arrangements that Hundred Waters favored, opting instead for a more tender palette. But the pulsating synths, sweeping harp arrangements, and, of course, the flute, make a perfect comeback.
MOSES SUMNEY
SOPHCORE
If you've been following Moses Sumney’s Instagram over the past few years, you might’ve started wondering—like I did—if he’s traded studio time for gym gains. With Sophcore, his latest EP and the follow-up to his spectacular 2020 double album græ, Sumney proves that he’s still got the studio locked down. Where græ was a sprawling 20-track epic, tapping the likes of OLD FOLKS darlings Adult Jazz, Sophcore is a tight, intimate 5-song project—each track distinct, yet together forming a seamless whole.
This time, Sumney teams up with producer Graham Jonson, AKA quickly, quickly. Jonson’s minimalist electronic arrangements and poetic sensibility provide the perfect backdrop for Sumney’s voice, which carries the same brilliant lyricism as before, now charged with a frenetic energy that pairs perfectly with Jonson’s sparse, subdued production. Sure, Moses Sumney may have been hitting the gym hard, but Sophcore proves he’s still flexing where it counts.
BIZHIKI
UNBOUND
Unbound is the new joint project from Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings (a powwow singer from the Lac Du Flambeau and Lac Courte Oreilles reservations in Central Wisconsin), Joe Rainey (Jennings’ brother and Red Lake Ojibwe powwow singer), and Sean Carey aka S. Carey (drummer, producer, and longtime Bon Iver collaborator). The best—and perhaps only—way to describe the sound of this new project is as a complete fusion of these two influences: the ancient tradition of powwow singing meets the sonic palette of 22, A Million. It’s a convergence that’s immediately striking.
For as influential an album as 22, A Million is to the indie rock canon, its direct sonic influences are relatively sparse, even though it's a frequent topic of discussion on the r/boniver subreddit. The presence of S. Carey on this new record allows the group to explore that sound deeply, but Jennings and Rainey's voices—both their vocal performances and their perspectives—remain unmistakably at the album’s core.
SOUR WIDOWS
REVIVAL OF A FRIEND
"True Bay Area alternative rock"—this mantra emblazons the back of the merch promoting Sour Widows' debut album, "Revival Of a Friend." It's the rallying cry of a band deeply rooted in place and in each other. Since 2017, Sour Widows has been crafting their sound, but "Revival Of a Friend" is their first full-length offering. The album, as its title hints, delves into the intricacies of friendship—those made, maintained, and mourned. It's a deeply personal journey, and their excitement to unveil it is palpable. The lyrics cut deep, sorrowful and heartfelt, but when sung in meticulous harmony, they resonate with newfound depth.
Despite its lyrical strengths, the album shines brightest in its instrumental stretches. Tracks like "Gold Thread" with its spacious, restrained instrumentals, the colossal, driving guitar crescendos of "Cherish," and the crashing cymbals during the drum breakdown on "Shadow of a Dove" showcase the band's musicianship. Their strength as live performers has always been a defining characteristic, and this strength translates seamlessly to the record, delivering a sound that is both somber and electric.
HUNDRED WATERS
TOWERS
I mean it sincerely (come on, I mean everything I say here sincerely) when I say I believe Hundred Waters' 2014 album The Moon Rang Like a Bell to be one of the best albums of all time. Their new EP, Towers, is a brief collection of four demos recorded during the time of The Moon Rang Like a Bell, released in celebration of the album's 10-year anniversary. The timeless beauty of the original record is fully realized in these four new songs, which sound just as modern, haunting, boundary-pushing, comfortable, and uncomfortable as they would have if they hit our ears 10 years ago with the rest of the tracks from TMRLAB.
The third track, Mark My Words, feels especially familiar, recalling the melody of the 2014 standout track (but let’s be real, they’re all standouts) Cavity. On the flip side, the EP's title track, at almost five minutes long, plays like an epic—falling into an inescapable groove set to a bubbling sonic landscape before culminating in a massive layering of strings and vocal harmonies, creating a buildup that would make the founder of their label proud. The band says on The band hints at more to come on Instagram, so I’ll end this the same way.
more coming soon 💙
MK.GEE
TWO STAR & THE DREAM POLICE
If you were to judge MK.Gee's success based solely on my TikTok algorithm, you'd think he was one of the hottest names in rock music... and perhaps he is. The number of times I've seen MK.Gee and Dijon perform Dijon's "Big Mike's" is so high that it genuinely makes it hard for me to tell just how deeply MK.Gee has permeated popular culture. But those chopped-up snippets served via short-form video undersell what a brilliant and holistically compelling project his newest album, "Two Star & the Dream Police," really is. The brilliance of the project lies in its ability to capture something that seems spontaneous and fleeting while also feeling fully composed—showcasing his talents as both a guitar player and a songwriter. Pitchfork compared the album to "22, A Million," which is a bit like comparing Anthony Edwards to Michael Jordan, but there are flashes where it's an undeniably apt comparison. "Two Star & The Dream Police" is groovier than 22AM, but shares a DNA of blending (and at times intentionally not blending) harsh noise with intricate musicianship and infectious rhythms. MK.Gee twists sounds to the point where you're caught between marveling at the sonic craftsmanship and giving in to the irresistible urge to dance.
WAXAHATCHEE
TIGERS BLOOD
Tigers Blood could very well go down as both a classic indie rock and a classic country album. For the uninitiated, Katie Crutchfield has been making heartfelt, twangy, and hook-riddled indie rock under the Waxahatchee moniker for over a decade. It’s not that Tigers Blood radically transforms her sound—what makes it stand out is its arrival at a moment when the country rock/indie rock vibe she helped pioneer has fully seeped into the pop-culture zeitgeist, a confluence that makes Tiger's Blood feel especially resonant right now.
TOLEDO
POPPED HEART
"Popped Heart" is the latest EP (whose name is a play on the famous breakfast pastry) from TOLEDO (the indie rock duo whose name is [probably] a nod to the famous Ohio city). This odd-ball sensibility carries throughout the new EP, but is maybe most prominent on the opening track “Jesus Bathroom,” which ultimately serves as a perfect introduction to the project. In a review for The Alternative, Zac Djamoos says to "Imagine Hovvdy or Another Michael at a house party, and you’re close to the vibe here."
But with every step deeper into the album, you learn to take it a bit more seriously. “In Yr Head” introduces us to Zac’s house party, but by the third track, “Lindo Lindo,” the EP quite literally finds its groove—this is the most in-the-pocket you’ll ever hear a drum machine sound. By the album's conclusion, a comparatively intimate duet featuring Sea Lemon, you feel like you’ve been taken on a miniature hero's journey from the absurd to the sublime—and look at that, you made a new friend along the way.
ROSIE TUCKER
UTOPIA NOW!
"The Lightbulb is updating... and I sit in the dark." So begins Rosie Tucker on the opening track "Lightbulb" from "Utopia Now!". The album is a treasure trove of pull quotes and one-liners, showcasing Rosie Tucker's brilliance in songwriting and their unique ability to encapsulate the pessimism of navigating a system too vast to evade. But “Utopia Now!” is anything but a one-liner. Tucker's lyricism shines amidst an array of unmistakably great hooks and musical breaks that pack as much punch as their words. Following up on the equally sharp and witty 2021 release "Sucker Supreme," "Utopia Now!" finds its strength in consistency, both sonically and thematically. While "Sucker Supreme" may boast brighter highlights, "Utopia Now!" maintains a steady glow throughout.
Tucker effortlessly blends cutting observations with humor and irony, all while delivering high-energy, rock-infused tracks that showcase Tucker's multifaceted talent—it's not just about clever lyrics; it also rocks the fuck out.
HOVVDY
HOVVDY
With one album (well, one double album), Hovvdy has somewhat covertly made the transition from scrappy bedroom upstart to bonafide indie rock veterans. At 19 songs, their self-titled, fifth album feels like a bit of a magic trick. While the vocal production retains the raw allure of Hovvdy's earlier work, the musical arrangements exhibit a polished sheen, conjuring echoes of indie luminaries like Grizzly Bear alongside nostalgic nods to '90s pop radio darlings like Sugar Ray. Despite its length, the album feels focused and succinct, each song purposefully contributing to the overall narrative. The decision to self-title the album feels like a declaration from the band that says, THIS is Hovvdy, and I’m just glad that they gave us so much of it.
ADULT JAZZ
SO SORRY SO SLOW
"So Sorry So Slow" is Adult Jazz's first album in 8 years, and their first full-length release since 2014's "Gist Is." Even after a decade, Adult Jazz's sound feels as fresh and exciting as when I first heard "Gist Is" during an NPR Music First Listen, a platform that itself was sunset nearly five years ago.
This album strikes a unique balance—it simultaneously feels like a culmination of ideas fully realized over 8 years (with the band starting work in 2016), yet it's also their smallest and most focused work to date. Both "Gist Is" and 2016's "mini album" "Earrings Off!" were ambitious concept albums that pushed boundaries of format, content, and composition.
"So Sorry So Slow" is a triumphant return, but it's also allowed to be smaller—Pop ballads fully deconstructed until each individual element is able to be played and manipulated like an instrument in a jazz quartet.
HOME IS WHERE
THE WHALER
Home is Where self-identifies as a “fifth-wave emo” band. In a 2021 Twitter infographic, they map out the genre, pinpointing bands that personify various genre niches... and suddenly, I see why this album hits home. Though technically their second release, "The Whaler" feels like a debut. 2021's "I Became Birds" was only 6 songs and 19 minutes, so "The Whaler" is really the first time we’ve seen the band put together an album’s worth of songs that feel this tightly packaged. Home is Where calls The Whaler “a concept record about getting used to things getting worse.” The songs are brutal, yet there's a sentimentality to them. Nostalgic for times not better, just times you were more naive. At times the album leans into the heavier side of Home is Where’s sound, but the aggression is almost always cut with a hook - as is the case in the anthemic reprise of the title lyrics of “skin meadow”, or an absolutely infectious groove, like “yes! yes! a thousand times yes!”, which has the distinct sound of skipping a highschool prom to find something more authentic.
HELADO NEGRO
PHASOR
In a video that he describes as a "series of intimate vignettes," Roberto Carlos Lange presents Phasor as “nine songs about the mountains, nine songs about the sky, nine songs about luck, nine songs about echo, nine songs about trouble, and nine songs about loving”. This mantra is delivered over a backdrop of evolving parametric visuals, which have become the graphic identity of the album, and encapsulates the duality of an album that is simultaneously his most grounded and his most experimental.
In 2019, Helado Negro's "This Is How You Smile" topped my list as the #1 album of the year. While that album featured its own moments of ambient and experimental soundscapes, Phasor sounds like an artist who has settled comfortably into a distinct sound, allowing the music to sprawl and evolve.
BLUE RANGER
CLOSE YOUR EYES
I’ve been trying to pinpoint what makes Close Your Eyes so uniquely compelling, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s primarily Connor Armbruster’s bouzouki performances. Josh Marré, the band’s primary songwriter and lead singer (also a notable Pinegrove alum), delivers a vocal performance across the album that is restrained and soft-spoken. This isn’t to say that the album lacks dynamics; rather, it relies on the other instrumentation for its most memorable hooks.
BRITTANY HOWARD
WHAT NOW
With What Now, Brittany Howard makes her case as the unsung queen of Indie Rock. Of course, Howard has always drawn heavily on her influences, and the soul, southern rock, and R&B notes are as present as ever, but for all of the talk of What Now as a genre-bending album, to me It reads more like an underscore across her entire catalog saying "I've been here the whole time".
SAM WILKES
DRIVING
In my estimation, Sam Wilkes has to be one of the most interesting things happening in indie rock music. The LA-based jazz bassist is best known for a brand of minimalist jazz best exemplified through his collaborations with Sam Gendel, Music for Saxofone & Bass Guitar, and its follow-up, Music for Saxofone & Bass Guitar more songs. In some ways, “Driving” is a departure from that, but in other ways, Wilkes is just doing to the genre of indie rock what he's already become synonymous with doing to another. Driving feels like a missing puzzle piece, completing a connection between fringe sub-genres.
WYE OAK
SHRIEK: VARIATIONS
One of my favorite albums of all time, somehow perfectly updated to meet the current musical moment. Wye Oak’s fourth album, which the inner liner notes describe as 'a creative working of the band,' felt progressive and risky at the time, but now, with space, feels lived in and familiar. Warner’s switch to the bass now feels like it marks an iconic shift for the musician. Varriatins adds five revisited tracks performed by Wye Oak and the Metropolis Ensemble, a creative gesture that 10 years from now, we just might look back at as another shift in the genre.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND
ONLY GOD WAS ABOVE US
Following Ezra’s creative process on his cult radio show “Time Crisis“ has been part of the fun of loving Vampire Weekend for nearly a decade now. With Only God Was Above Us, Vampire Weekend delivers an album that holds up on the promise of deserving a TC deep dive, but also reaches all the way back to what we loved about VW in the first place. That’s not intended as a diss on FOTB, but only to say that the Time Crisis darling had a polish to it that has Almost entirely fallen off on OGWAU.